Storage apparatus and method for controlling the same

• US 8,200,898 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Katsuyoshi, Hirasawa, Akihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/896,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20110022796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 711/114, 714/6.22
• US Class Current: 711/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0625 Power saving in storage systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0658 Controller construction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/415 Redundant array of inexpensive disks [RAID] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/144 by detection, control, regulation of the temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20836 Thermal management, e.g. server temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An apparatus includes a controller and a plurality of drives. The controller has a communication control unit for accepting a data input/output request, a controller unit for controlling a drive, and a cache memory for temporarily storing data transferred between the communication control unit and the controller unit. The plurality of drives has different communication interfaces and connected to the controller unit to communicate with the controller unit.

Claims

1. A storage apparatus comprising:

a controller, in a casing of a plurality of casings, being adapted to transmit data received from at least one of a plurality of computers to at least one of a plurality of storage areas via an interface other than a Serial ATA (SATA) interface;

a plurality of first drive units each comprising a converter and a first type drive, the converter converting a communication with the interface other than the SATA interface into a communication with a SATA interface, the first type drive having the SATA interface and at least one of the plurality of storage areas; and

another casing of the plurality of casings comprising either the plurality of first drive units or a plurality of second drive units, each of the plurality of second drive units comprising a second type drive having the interface other than the SATA interface,

wherein the controller is adapted to acquire information of at least one drive in at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing so that a software program on at least one of the plurality of computers can cause to display the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing.

2. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing is at least one of the plurality of first drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the SATA interface, and

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing is at least one of the plurality of second drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the interface other than the SATA interface.

3. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission line, coupled to the controller, being adapted for communication from the controller to the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing via the interface other than the SATA interface.

4. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire information of a plurality of drive units comprised in the another casing so that the software program can cause to display the type of interface of each of a plurality of drives of the plurality of drive units comprised in the another casing.

5. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interface other than the SATA interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface.

6. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire the information from the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing.

7. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a cache memory for temporarily storing data.

8. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to store management information including an identifier of the another casing, an identifier of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing, and information corresponding to the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing.

9. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the information of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the another casing to the software program.

10. The storage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to control a plurality of drives of a plurality of drive units comprised in the another casing to store data according to Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).

11. A storage apparatus comprising:

a casing comprising a controller, the controller being adapted to execute an operation of writing data, received from at least one of a plurality of computers, to at least one of a plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in another casing via a first type communication interface; and

the another casing accommodates either a plurality of first drive units or a plurality of second drive units, each of the plurality of first drive units comprising a converter and a first type drive, the converter converting a communication with the first type communication interface into a communication with a second type communication interface, the first type drive having the second type communication interface, each of the plurality of second drive units comprising a second type drive having the first type communication interface,

wherein the controller is adapted to acquire information of the type of communication interface of at least one drive accommodated in at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing, so that a software program on at least one of the plurality of computers can cause to display the type of communication interface of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing.

12. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

if the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing is at least one of the plurality of first drive units, the type of communication interface displayed corresponds to the second type communication interface, and

if the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing is at least one of the plurality of second drive units, the type of communication interface displayed corresponds to the first type communication interface.

13. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a transmission line, coupled to the controller, being adapted for communication from said controller to the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing via the first type communication interface.

14. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire information of the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing so that the software program can cause to display the type of communication interface of each of the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing.

15. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first type communication interface is an interface other than a Serial ATA (SATA) interface.

16. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first type communication interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface.

17. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second type communication interface is a Serial ATA (SATA) interface.

18. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire the information from the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing.

19. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a cache memory for temporarily storing data.

20. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to store management information including an identifier of the another casing, an identifier of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing, and information corresponding to the type of communication interface of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing.

21. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the information of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing to the software program.

22. The storage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the controller is adapted to control the plurality of drives accommodated in the plurality of drive units accommodated in the another casing to store data according to Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).

23. A control method of a storage apparatus comprising the steps of:

acquiring information of at least one drive in at least one drive unit comprised in a casing so that a software program on at least one of a plurality of computers can cause to display the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing; and

transmitting, by a controller in another casing, data received from at least one of a plurality of computers to the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing via an interface other than a Serial ATA (SATA) interface,

wherein the casing comprises either a plurality of first drive units or a plurality of second drive units, the plurality of first drive units each comprising a converter and a first type drive, the converter converting a communication with the interface other than the SATA interface into a communication with the SATA interface, the first type drive having the SATA interface, each of the plurality of second drive units comprising a second type drive having the interface other than the SATA interface.

24. The control method according to claim 23, wherein:

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing is at least one of the plurality of first drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the SATA interface, and

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing is at least one of the plurality of second drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the interface other than the SATA interface.

25. The control method according to claim 23, wherein a transmission line is coupled to the controller and is adapted for communication from the controller to the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing via the interface other than the SATA interface.

26. The control method according to claim 23, wherein the acquiring step includes a step for acquiring information of a plurality of drive units comprised in the casing, so that the software program can cause to display the type of interface of each of a plurality of drives of the plurality of drive units comprised in the casing.

27. The control method according to claim 23, wherein the interface other than the SATA interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface.

28. The control method according to claim 23, wherein the acquiring step includes a step for acquiring the information from the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing.

29. The control method according to claim 23, wherein the controller comprises a cache memory for temporarily storing data.

30. The control method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

storing, by the controller, management information including an identifier of the casing, an identifier of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing, and information corresponding to the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing.

31. The control method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

transmitting, by the controller, the information of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing to the software program.

32. The control method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

controlling, by the controller, a plurality of drives of a plurality of drive units comprised in the casing to store data according to Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).

33. A control method for a storage apparatus comprising the steps of:

acquiring information of the type of communication interface of at least one drive accommodated in at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in a casing, so that a software program on at least one of a plurality of computers can cause to display the type of communication interface of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing; and

executing, by a controller in another casing, an operation of writing data, received from at least one of the plurality of computers, to the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing via a first type communication interface,

wherein the casing accommodates either a plurality of first drive units or a plurality of second drive units, each of the plurality of first drive units comprising a converter and a first type drive, the converter converting a communication with the first type communication interface into a communication with a second type communication interface, the first type drive having the second type communication interface, each of the plurality of second drive units comprising a second type drive having the first type communication interface .

34. The control method according to claim 33, wherein:

if the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing is at least one of the plurality of first drive units, the type of communication interface displayed corresponds to the second type communication interface, and

if the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing is at least one of the plurality of second drive units, the type of communication interface displayed corresponds to the first type communication interface.

35. The control method according to claim 33, wherein a transmission line is coupled to the controller and is adapted for communication from said controller to the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing via the first type communication interface.

36. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the acquiring step includes a step for acquiring information of the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing so that the software program can cause to display the type of communication interface of each of the plurality of drives accommodated in a plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing.

37. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the first type communication interface is an interface other than a Serial ATA (SATA) interface.

38. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the first type communication interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface.

39. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the second type communication interface is a Serial ATA (SATA) interface.

40. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the acquiring step includes a step for acquiring the information from the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing.

41. The control method according to claim 33, wherein the controller comprises a cache memory for temporarily storing data.

42. The control method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:

storing, by the controller, management information including an identifier of the casing, an identifier of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing, and information corresponding to the type of communication interface of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing.

43. The control method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:

transmitting, by the controller, the information of the at least one drive accommodated in the at least one of the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing to the software program.

44. The control method according to claim 33, further comprising the step of:

controlling, by the controller, the plurality of drives accommodated in the plurality of drive units accommodated in the casing to store data according to Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).

45. A storage apparatus comprising:

a casing comprising either a plurality of first drive units or a plurality of second drive units, the plurality of first drive units each comprising a converter and a first type drive, the converter converting a communication with an interface other than a Serial ATA (SATA) interface into a communication with the SATA interface, the first type drive having the SATA interface, each of the plurality of second drive units comprising a second type drive having an interface other than the SATA interface;

another casing comprising a controller, the controller transmitting data received from at least one of a plurality of computers to at least one drive in at least one drive unit comprised in the casing via the communication with the interface other than the SATA interface; and

the controller being adapted to acquire information of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing so that a software program on at least one of the plurality of computers can cause to display the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing.

46. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein:

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing is at least one of the plurality of first drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the SATA interface, and

if the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing is at least one of the plurality of second drive units, the type of interface displayed corresponds to the interface other than the SATA interface.

47. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, further comprising:

a transmission line, coupled to the controller, being adapted for communication from the controller to the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing by the communication with the interface other than the SATA interface.

48. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire information of a plurality of drive units comprised in the casing, so that the software program can cause to display the type of interface of each of a plurality of drives of the plurality of drive units comprised in the casing.

49. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the interface other than the SATA interface is a Fibre Channel (FC) interface.

50. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller is adapted to acquire the information from the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing.

51. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller comprises a cache memory for temporarily storing data.

52. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller is adapted to store management information including an identifier of the casing, an identifier of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing, and information corresponding to the type of interface of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing.

53. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller is adapted to transmit the information of the at least one drive in the at least one drive unit comprised in the casing to the software program.

54. The storage apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the controller is arranged to control a plurality of drives of a plurality of drive units comprised in the casing to store data according to Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).